What is Programming?
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Definitions
Program
A set of directions telling a computer exactly what
to do.
Programming languages
Languages for specifying sequences of directions
to a computer.
Algorithm
A sequence of language independent steps
which may be followed to solve a problem.
Flowchart
Diagrammatic representation of step for solving
the given problem.
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Many Aspects of Programming
Programming is controlling: computer does exactly what
you tell it to.
Programming is teaching: computer can only “learn” to do
new things if you tell it how.
Programming is problem solving: always trying to make
computer do something useful — i.e., finding an optimal
travel route.
Programming is creative: must find a good solution out of
many possibilities.
Programming is modelling: describe salient (relevant)
properties and behaviours of a system of components.
Programming is abstraction: identify important features
without getting lost in detail.
Programming is concrete: must provide detailed
instructions to complete task
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Sample Algorithm
Calculating area of the circle.
Algorithm:
1. Start.
2. Input radius in cm.
3. Calculate, area = 3.14 * (radius * radius)
4. Display area.
5. Stop
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Sample Algorithm
Calculate the division obtained by the student according
to inputted marks.
1. Start.
2. Accept five different subjects’ marks,
i.e. m1, m2, m3, m4, m5.
3. Calculate, per = (m1+m2+m3+m4+m5) / 5
4. If per>= 75 then display “Distinction” else
If per>= 60 then display “First class” else
If per>= 50 then display “Second class” else
If per>= 40 then display “Pass class” else
Display “Fail”.
5. Stop.
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FLOW CHART SYMBOLS
Start / Stop
General Processing
Decision
Input / Output
Connector
Function / Subroutine
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Calculating area of the circle.
Start
Input radius
in cm.
Calculate area =
3.14 * (radius * radius)
Display
area
Stop
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Start
Accept five different
subjects’ marks i.e.
m1, m2, m3, m4, m5.
Calculate, per =
(m1+m2+m3+m4+m5) / 5
Yes
Display
per >=75 “Distinction”
No
Yes
Display
per >=60 “First Class”
No
Yes
Display
per >=50 “Second
Class”
No
Yes
Display
per >=40 “Pass Class”
No
Display
“Fail”
Stop
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Final Maze Solving Program
step forward;
while (inside the maze?)
{
turn right;
while (facing a wall?)
{
turn left;
}
step forward;
}
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Programming Languages
• Machine language:
It is computer’s native language having a sequence of zeroes
and ones (binary). Different computers understand different
sequences. Thus, hard for humans to understand: e.g. 0101001...
• Assembly language:
It uses mnemonics for machine language. In this each instruction
is minimal but still hard for humans to understand:
e.g. ADD AH, BL
• High-level languages:
FORTRAN, Pascal, BASIC, C, C++, Java, etc.
Each instruction composed of many low-level instructions,
closer to English. It is easier to read and understand:
e.g. hypot = sqrt(opp*opp + adj * adj);
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Running Compiled Programs
We want to code the program in a high-level language, C
But each type of computer only “understands” its own
machine language (zeroes and ones)
Thus we must translate from ‘C’ to machine language.
A team of experts programs a translator, called a
“compiler” which translates entirety of a ‘C’ program to
an executable file in computer’s native machine
language with checking for syntactical errors.
Process:
compilation: Your program Æ executable file
machine executes your program by “running” each
machine language instruction in the executable file.
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Software Development: A 5-Step Process
Analysis Coding into C
Design Keep program
Working &
Gathering requirement Current
and specifications Implementation
Algorithm and
Testing
flowchart
Checking the Maintenance
program execution and
debugging
Result: Working Program
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Errors
Debugging is the process of detecting and fixing
errors found in a program.
Syntactic errors are caused by giving the compiler
a program it cannot recognize.
Logical errors come from programs that compile
correctly but fail to execute as expected.
Programs must be designed carefully and tested
thoroughly to ensure that neither error will occur.
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Created By,
Mr. Tushar B Kute,
Lecturer in Information Technology,
K. K. Wagh Polytechnic, Nashik.
tbkute@gmail.com
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